Toy Story 3 Gets IMAX 3D Release (Plus New Images)

Some new items have recently popped up about the upcoming Toy Story 3, the long-awaited and highly anticipated third film in the already amazing Pixar series. We have the news that it will be released in IMAX, and we also have a trio of new high-res images.

Let’s start of the with the IMAX news: the IMAX corporation and Walt Disney Studios yesterday announced that Toy Story 3 will be released in IMAX 3D theaters simultaneously with its release in regular theaters on its set date of June 18th, 2010. However, the film wasn’t originally shot for IMAX, so in Star Trek style it will be digitally re-mastered for it. Here’s some quick words on the release from Distribution President of The Walt Disney Studios, Bob Chapek, and from IMAX CEO, Richard L. Gelfond:

“We’re very excited to once again unite Disney Digital 3D with The IMAX Experience, and to do it for the long-awaited release of ‘Toy Story 3′ is a real treat. A film like this is designed to take audiences on an exciting thrill-ride adventure, making it a perfect match for both 3D and IMAX.”

“We have always envisioned the ‘Toy Story’ franchise as an ideal fit for ‘The IMAX Experience’ and we’re very happy to finally turn that vision into a reality,” said IMAX CEO Richard L. Gelfond. “This film also fits nicely into our 2010 lineup, ensuring that families will be able to start the summer holidays with a fun Disney release in IMAX.”

I personally won’t be heading out to see this one in IMAX, even if doing so would mean that I could get to see Toy Story‘s characters in, “unparalleled image and sound quality.” It’s not a film I think is a perfect match for the IMAX technology – it’s not like Star Trek or the just-released Avatar where there’s tons of special effects-laden set-pieces or anything. The Toy Story movies were never about that, they were about the characters and the fun, witty dialogue.

Anyway, I’ll stop vomiting Toy Story praise all over the place…

Onto the new images: There’s been a few new Toy Story 3 images released over the last week or so, but we thought we’d wait for them to build up before unleashing them upon you . A couple of the images bring a lot of the toys together in one group, while one of them just shows Woody, Buzz and Jessie the Yodeling Cowgirl. Check out all three of the images below, thanks to /Film and Empire (click each for much bigger versions, the second two being super-high-res):

Wow, those look great, don’t they? Toy Story 3 is definitely on my most anticipated list for 2010, simply because I can’t wait to check back in on some of the greatest characters in animation history. Is there any doubt the wizards at Pixar are going to make this one every bit as good as the last two? You might be inclined to say yes to that, but I really wouldn’t doubt this studio – just look at their track record.